What is Easter to a child?
By Pastor Steve Blaum - Cumberland Presbyterian Church

[March 22, 2016]  We must be sure to get the story straight! Church educators may assume that the annual repetition of the story of Jesus has informed worshippers well on the various details. This is most true of the great stories of Christmas and Easter. However, we must remember that the children are listening.

A Sunday School teacher asked her elementary aged students to tell her the story of Easter. Little David said, "Easter is when we put masks on and go door to door saying trick or treat and we get candy."

"I'm sorry," the teacher said, "That is Halloween."

The next student, Billie said," Easter is when we put a tree in the house and cover it with pretty lights and when we get up in the morning we get presents!"
The teacher gently corrected him saying, "No Billie; that is Christmas."

The third student, Nancy said, "Easter is when they killed Jesus on a cross and buried him in a hole in the ground and three days later He came up from the dead!"

The teacher praised Nancy's answer. "You have been listening well to your Sunday School lessons!"

Nancy responded, "But that's not all to the story. If Jesus sees his shadow he goes back in the ground for six more weeks of winter!”

We must be sure we are telling the whole story clearly and accurately. The children are listening!

Cumberland Presbyterian Church
110 Broadway, Lincoln, IL
[phone]

Announcements:

We invite all to a very special communion service on Maundy Thursday evening of Holy Week at 6 p.m. Twelve at a time will come to the table as if it were the actual last supper. Then, after an intimate re-enactment of the events that occurred on that fateful night long ago followed by a shared communion, those 12 are asked to depart the sanctuary quietly to their homes with a renewed anticipation for Resurrection Morning and the next 12 will come.

On Easter, we will hold a sunrise service at 7 a.m. followed by a great breakfast at 8 o’clock. The public is always welcome to all that we do. The Lord invites whosoever will to come!

We are the Cumberland Presbyterian Church located at 110 Broadway St., Lincoln, IL. [phone]